pam_authtok_get(5)

NAME

pam_authtok_get– authentication and password management module

SYNOPSIS

pam_authtok_get.so.1

DESCRIPTION

The pam_authtok_get service module provides password prompting funtionality to the PAM stack. It implements pam_sm_authenticate() and pam_sm_chauthtok(), providing functionality to both the Authentication Stack and the Password Management
Stack.

Authentication Service

The implementation of pam_sm_authenticate(3PAM) prompts the user name if not set and then tries to get the authentication token from the pam
handle. If the token is not set, it then prompts the user for a password and stores it in the PAM item PAM_AUTHTOK. This module is meant to be the first module on an authentication stack where users are to authenticate using a keyboard.

Password Management Service

Due to the nature of the PAM Password Management stack traversal mechanism, the pam_sm_chauthtok(3PAM) function is called twice. Once with the PAM_PRELIM_CHECK flag, and one with the PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK flag.

In the first (PRELIM) invocation, the implementation of pam_sm_chauthtok(3PAM) moves the contents of the PAM_AUTHTOK (current authentication token) to PAM_OLDAUTHTOK, and subsequentially prompts the user for a new password. This new password is stored in PAM_AUTHTOK.

If a previous module has set PAM_AUTHTOK prior to the invocation of pam_authtok_get, this module turns into a NO-OP and immediately returns PAM_SUCCESS.

In the second (UPDATE) invocation, the user is prompted to Re-enter his password. The pam_sm_chauthtok implementation verifies this reentered password with the password stored in PAM_AUTHTOK. If the passwords match, the module returns PAM_SUCCESS.